1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wiper-blade device which can use a wiper blade having a two-blade structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wipers for use in automobiles and the like have been improved in various ways. Wipers using a wiper blade composed of two blades are known to those skilled in the art (Laid-open Japanese Patent Application Publication (Tokkai Hei) No. 1-226459 and others). The wiper device disclosed in this prior art provides a more stable and reliable wiping effect on a curved surface of a small curvature than those having a single blade. The wiper blade, however, does not bend easily along the curved surface to be wiped, and thus hardly come into contact with the curved surface. The both ends of the blade are likely to rise from, for example, a curved surface of a large curvature, and excessive pressure is exerted on the central portion of the blade. Thus, disadvantageously, the entire wiping effect is degraded, and the blade is worn away more quickly in its center.
The device of the Registered Japanese Utility Model No. 2588688 is more advantageous for a curved surface to be wiped that has a large curvature. This utility model has been provided by the inventor based on his examinations of deformation of the curved surface. However, it is still insufficient to handle automobile front windshield that has a large curvature. Furthermore, problems remain to be solved with the conventional wipers; for example, it may be subjected to strong air resistance, it is likely to rise during high-speed driving, and windshield washing liquid may be splashed.
The present invention is provided in view of the above points, and it is an object thereof to make it possible to wipe a curved surface such as an automobile windshield that has a large curvature and is significantly bent. It is another object of the present invention to provide a wiper-blade device that can operate stably even while the automobile is traveling at a high speed, and which does not waste windshield washing liquid.
These and other objects can be attained by a wiper-blade device that has notched portions formed at required intervals in each blade section, so that the device can bend so as to follow a curved surface to be wiped, wherein the notched portions are formed so that those of one of the two blade sections do not overlap those of the other.
A wiper-blade device according to the present invention may comprise a wiper blade having a single-blade structure or a double-blade structure. A wiper blade having a double-blade structure provides more effective wiping because a first blade located forward in the wiping direction serves to execute a preprocess, whereas a second blade located rearward in the same direction serves to perform actual wiping. This wiper blade, however, is similar to that having a single-blade structure in other points.
The wiper-blade device is composed of a wiper blade having a single-blade structure or a double-blade structure and a holder section for holding the wiper blade. The wiper blades of the single- and double-blade structures can be used interchangeably in the holder section.
The holder section to which the blade section is attached has elastic bending plates attached thereto. The elastic bending plates provide a predetermined bent shape for the blade section, which is formed so as to bend easily; the elastic bending plates themselves can be elastically deformed. The elastic bending plates allow the blade section to have a more sharply bent shape at the both ends thereof than in the other portion thereof, that is, the intermediate portion thereof, which is separate from the both ends.
The wiper blade of the double-blade structure may be of an integral type that integrally has two blade sections, or of a separate type with which a separate blade section is used. Means for attaching the wiper blade to a reciprocating arm of the wiper are provided in the holder section (see FIG. 1).
Each blade section has notched portions formed at required intervals in a longitudinal direction thereof. The notched portions comprise notches that extend from the tip of the blade section to the root thereof, and allow the wiper blade to bend easily. To avoid leaving traces of wiping, the notched portions are arranged so that those of the front-blade section do not overlap those of the rear-blade section.
The wiper-blade device having a double-blade structure also enables windshield washing liquid to be supplied to a curved surface to be wiped, from between the two blade sections. The liquid is supplied through a pipe arranged in the holder section, and an appropriate number of nozzles are provided in the pipe at appropriate locations thereof so as to eject the externally supplied windshield washing liquid therefrom. Furthermore, the holder section has a generally triangular cross section so that, during a fast operation, the blade can be pressed against the curved surface to be wiped, by means of air currents.